"Sobe" Love

Overton “Sobe” Love was born in Holly Springs, Mississippi around 1823. He was about 20 years old when he came with one of the first caravans to Indian Territory during the forced removal of the Chickasaw Nation.

Judge Overton Love was Pickens District Judge for many years. He was also the Chickasaw representative to Congress during the Byrd Administration. He fought hard for the Chickasaw people at a time when the US government was trying to suppress Native Americans. He would eventually hold almost every office within the Chickasaw Nation, except that of governor as it was not allowed for him to do so.

Among his accomplishments, Judge Love worked extensively with enrollment of the Chickasaw citizens during the days of the Dawes Commission. When the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes came to Indian Territory to negotiate treaties with the various nations, by common consent Judge Love was named as Treaty Commissioner on behalf of the Chickasaw Nation. It is said that the only requirement to place a family on the Chickasaw Roll of Citizenship was for Judge Love to say to the Commission, "this man is a Chickasaw Indian."

During the darkest times in Chickasaw history our credit, as Indian people, was impaired and it looked as thought it would be impossible for us as a nation to sustain ourselves or maintain our credit. It was at that time that Judge Love stepped up and financed the Chickasaw government and made our credit worth a hundred cents on the dollar in the money markets around the world.

It was also said of Overton Love that he educated more orphaned Chickasaws than “any other half-dozen men of his tribe.” The Oklahoma Constitution Convention went on to honor Overton Love by naming Love County after him.